


Broken

by DragonDreads (cjbage)



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Headcanon, Non-Canon Relationship, Not Suitable/Safe For Work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-04
Updated: 2015-12-07
Packaged: 2018-05-04 23:18:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5352101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cjbage/pseuds/DragonDreads
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Fenris walked out after a night of passion with Hawke it broke her heart. For years she had waited for him to return. Then she heard the rumors, the hushed conversations between him and Isabela. Her heart remained broken,  her spirit slowly being crushed. Until she met another elf. A cocky, self-assured assassin that started her on the path to healing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story doesn't follow the game closely. There is a lot of headcanon for dialog, actions, and responses.
> 
> If you are looking for a story that follows the way the game is then you will be disappointed.
> 
> I don't use a Beta reader or proofreader so all the mistakes contained within are purely my own. (Update- Fixed as many grammar, spelling, and sentence structure errors as I could find using a free, basic software editing program. There may, however, still be errors in the story.)  
> ~*~  
> Standard Disclaimer: Bioware/ EA games owns all of the Dragon Age Universe, including but not limited to the recognizable characters. Any original characters are my own. There is no monetary gain from this work. All I am doing is playing around with their universe.
> 
> **~**  
> Please do not use my original characters in a different story unless permission is asked for and received.  
> Do not post this story in a different archive, forum, or mailing list. I post only on Archive of Our Own. If you like it please post a link to this page instead. Thank you.  
> **~**

* * *

 

Hawke spent the last fortnight crying, wondering just what she had done to cause Fenris to leave her after their night together. He had said it was too much, he told her it was better than he could have imagined. Then why? Why couldn't he have stayed and told her what was wrong, given her a chance to fix it, or at least let her make sure he wasn't going to be leaving Kirkwall. But he just left her sitting on her bed.  
  
Finally giving herself a good talking to, after seeing her Mother's worried looks, she left the mansion. Pretended that everything was fine. That she wasn't dead from a broken heart. She could barely look at Fenris. His voice cuts her like a dagger, it didn't matter if it was from arguing with Anders about mages or discussing their latest Diamondback game with Varric. It still hurt. It was still painful.  


* * *

  
  
She couldn't believe her Mother was gone, brutally taken from her. It hadn't mattered that Aveline had been with her when she found the pieces of the missing woman all those years ago. It didn't matter that she had been present when yet another woman had received those white lilies. She just complained about Emeric causing her problems. Even though he had been right before. It had been too much trouble to thoroughly check into his suspicions. Instead, she sent regular guards who probably wouldn't have spotted blood magic if the mage had stood in front of them and slit his wrist.  
  
She glanced up as she heard someone entering her room. Fenris stood there, a look of apprehension on his face. He told her he didn't know what to say to her. Even offering his sincere condolences would have been enough, held her in his arms to let her know he was there for her. Instead, he sat beside her for a few minutes in silence before telling her goodbye and once again leaving her.  


* * *

 

Over the next three years, it was the same as always. Tension through the entire city. Templars locking up mages. Breaking Chantry laws by performing the Rite of Tranquility on those mages that had already passed their Harrowing and taking more and more of the very few freedoms the mages still had left from them.  
  
The mages were turning to blood magic when they were pushed too hard instead of fighting the call of the demons. And once again everyone and their brother pulled her into their problems, wanting her to fix them. After all, she was now the Champion of Kirkwall. It didn't matter that even after all this time she was still broken.  
  
One day as she was heading to another part of town she was hailed by a group of men with thick accents. They introduced themselves as lawmen from Antiva. They were after a dangerous criminal, an elf that was hiding among the Dalish outside of the town. They couldn't get any information or close enough to get to him,  but as Hawke has had so much interaction with them they were hoping she could bring the criminal to them at their camp.  
  
She agreed to go talk with them but made no guarantees. She gathered up a few of the companions and headed out. The long walk to the camp had them all complaining. Varric was walking next to her as Fenris and Isabela were walking behind them, some of the comments they were making to each other made her start to wonder. Could he have taken up with her? Did she mean so little to both of them that they decided to go behind her back? Varric glanced up at her when she didn't answer his question for the third time,  seeing how her jaw was clenched tight. He didn't say anything more just continued to walk beside her. She couldn't believe that Fenris was wearing the red ribbon he had taken from her bedside table along with the small crest that she had given to him as a gift, yet took up with that pirate whore.  
  
They finally made it to the camp and spoke with the elf that, according to Nuncio, was a friend of the criminal they were hunting. She told them where to find him and that he would be waiting then wished them luck in actually making it to him.  
  
As they entered the cave they all were wondering why this elf wanted to be found,  why make it so easy? They worked their way down past traps and picked their footing around the dead bodies that littered the ground. Once they made it to a large opening they heard a noise that Hawke and Varric recognized,  it was the Varterral again. The overly large creature that Dalish lore was said to guard items or ruins. Once again they fought it, once again they defeated it.  
  
They were picking over the Varterral looking for more treasure when they heard a voice coming to them from the nearby shadows and a male elf walked from them. Tall for an elf, with golden blonde hair and lightly tanned skin. His Dalish tattoos, called _vallaslin_ , running along the left side of his temple area. He introduced himself as Zevran Arainai.  
  
Of course, Isabela knew who it was, and rather well acquainted if what Hawke was hearing was true. Hawke grew tired of hearing all the innuendo and told him to do whatever the fuck he wanted before she pushed past him and walked toward the path leading back up to the surface. Varric caught up with her a few minutes later, not saying anything, which was highly unusual for the dwarf.  
  
They were halfway back to town when Fenris came running up behind them followed by Isabela. No one said much of anything; Isabela tried to make some inane comments that went unanswered by the others. Finally, she got a clue and shut up.  
  
When they made it back to town Hawke went to her mansion, breaking off from the others who were heading to Lowtown with nary a word to any of them. When she entered her home she called out for a bottle of wine to be sent to her room then practically ran up the stairs.  
  
"Mistress, here is the wine you requested. Is there anything else I can get for you?" The soft voice of Orana called out to her as she carried the tray into the room. Hawke told her no and thanked her as she was standing behind the dressing screen in the corner, removing her armor and cleaning the dried gore from her skin and hair.  
  
She wrapped a soft robe around her before walking out from behind it and set about drinking the entire bottle herself. She had just about enough of this place. Being pulled in so many different directions, helping others yet having them lie to her, whether by omission or flat out to her face, was wearing on her.  
  
Several hours after the sun had set she heard a light tapping on her balcony window. At first, she ignored it, but it didn't stop so she picked up one of her daggers and edged toward it. A shape was standing outside, and she was barely able to make it out since it was mostly in the shadows, only showing when they reached over to tap against the pane of glass.  
  
"Champion, it is Zevran Arainai, the incredibly handsome elf that you left standing in the middle of a cave this afternoon." His accented voice whispered to her through the small hole that served as a keyhole in the doors. For a second Hawke smiled, a bit of light came into her eyes before it extinguished.  
  
Hawke unlocked the doors and opened them slightly, the elf slipped inside and moved to the side, away from the light of the candles and fireplace. "What is it? I thought you would be gone by now or did you get me mixed up with Isabela?"  
  
"Ah, only one with extremely poor eyesight could make such a grievous error. I have come to ask you why you left in such a hurry. I didn't even get a chance to thank you for not turning me in."  
  
Hawke frowned, "it's none of your business. I had things to do."

He studied her face, "I see. I wanted to warn you about Nuncio, he may try to attack you for letting me go. I suggest you go to his camp and get rid of the problem. He is an Antivan Crow, as I used to be, an assassin that lied to you in order for the famed Champion to kill me and not have to worry about more of his people dying to my blade."  
  
Hawke let out a soft snort, "why am I not surprised. Everyone feels they can just lie to me. Use me for their selfishness and toss me over when I finished the task ."

The elf tipped his head to the side, a slight frown marring the handsome face. He had heard the whispering from several of the people that were known to be her companions during the past several years. A young Dalish woman, let it slip about Isabela sleeping with the elf that had broken the Champion's heart when he walked out on her years ago for no apparent reason. And if the dwarf could be believed it had damn near killed her.  
  
One of the others was asking a blonde male, that was clearly a mage, how he had got the black eye. He mumbled that Hawke had hit him when he suggested that her mansion would be a better place for him to live and that he was glad she had some sense and finally got rid of the elf.  
  
"Why do you stay?" He asked, surprising himself as he usually wouldn't bother. He rarely spoke past light flirtation and the offer of sex. Well, other than to the Warden, Hero of Fereldan. She was special. He could tell there was something special about the woman that was in the room with him as well.  
  
She jerked her head up and stared at him. "Where else would I go? I have a home here, servants that depend on me."

He made his way to the bed laying down and stretching out across it without bothering to ask first. "The servants can obtain other work. You are unhappy; you have gold and no real obligations here. Why do you not find somewhere that you can start over again."  
  
"I'm tired of always being on the move. As kids we moved constantly, always trying to keep one step ahead of the Templars when they found out about Bethany or our Father. Then the Blight came." Hawke sat on one of the tapestry-covered chairs and poured herself another goblet of wine. He rolled over to face her, propping himself up on his elbow. His armor moved and revealed even more of his smooth, tanned leg to her gaze.

"I can see wanting a place to call your own. Maybe someone to share it with? A ridiculously handsome, fair-haired elf for instance?" She gave out a slight laugh at his overt flirting.  
  
"Maybe." Her voice had grown quiet, it hadn't been a fair-haired elf she had been thinking of but one with a mop of silver white, one side constantly falling down to cover one beautiful, large eye that could chill you to the bone or make you feel safe, depending on his mood.

The elf on the bed let out a humming sound before rolling to his back and sitting up. He bounced on the bed a few times. "Nice and firm, just how I like them." She let out a snort before taking a drink of wine.  
  
"Beautiful Champion, why do you not find another? Why are you pining for the Tevinter elf?" Zevran turned toward her, his knee bending as he slid his leg up on the bed. Mindful of keeping his dirty boots off of the clean bedding, he had always hated when others came to his bed or he to theirs and they messed it up with dirt. Of course most of the time it ended up with bloodstains from where he ended up assassinating them, but that was after they had their fun.  
  
"Honestly, I don't know. I care for him, very much even after everything. But he won't come back, I know that now. He seems to prefer just a physical relationship instead of one that is mired in feelings. And instead of turning to me,  he turned to another to fill that ... requirement." She ran her finger around the lip of the goblet.  
  
"Hmm, only a fool would let ones such as yourself and the Warden get away. He is blind indeed not to see what he could have had,  what he has lost."  
  
She looked up at Zevran, "I heard you were one of the companions that helped to fight the Archdemon and stopped the Blight."

She poured the last of the wine and offered him the goblet. He took it and turned it to where her lips had been and drank deeply. "You heard correctly. I traveled and fought beside the Warden. She lives in Denerim now, consort to King Alistair. Had she not been a mage they may have married. Of course, Alistair barely spends any time at the castle, he is always at the small home he purchased for her anytime she is there. Or out "touring" the hold making sure his people are being taken care of. Of course, he usually goes no further than the next town's inn where he waits for the Warden to return."  
  
She let out a small snorting laugh, "I can just bet Queen Anora likes that."  
  
Zevran shrugged, "Alistair and the Warden give her no choice, she is the daughter of a traitor and she knows she is lucky to be alive after all she and her father had done to the Wardens and Fereldan. If it had been up to me I would have gladly killed them both. But the Warden can be devious when she needs to be. Making the traitor a Warden then sending him to fight the Archdemon saved Alistair's life. He was reluctant,  had almost walked out until she hurriedly whispered her plan to him."  
  
He finished the wine then stood up bringing the goblet to the small table. "Enough about that, dear Champion." He brushed a soft caress down her cheek. "I came also to see if you were interested in getting to know each other better. That elf is a fool, and Isabela will never change. Do you know she demanded that I have sex with her, with that male standing right beside her? No one makes demands on me. They may ask, but not demand. And he had said nary a word to her,  just stood there, waiting. When I started to ask about you, he left. Isabel followed him a few minutes later." A callused thumb brushed across her lower lip, "women like her are easy to come by. But a woman of such a caliber as you is truly rare. Truly worth knowing."  
  
She let out a sigh, it would be so easy to fall into bed with this one. She thought about it. It wouldn't heal her broken heart,  but maybe she could actually start to live again if she let go of what she once held onto with both grasping hands. Fenris wouldn't come back, and even if he did, would she want him knowing how easily he went from her bed to someone else's? She would constantly worry that he would leave her again and again. No... no more. She had to let go of him. Loving him and holding onto the hope was slowly killing her.  
  
She stood up and ran her hand down his own cheek, brushing the small amount of hair that had fallen forward from the side of his head back to behind his pointed ear. A small caress along it had the elf shivering. Her eyes met his honey gold ones and she gave a small nod. His lips turned up in a small smile before he gently kissed her. He knew this was not to be rushed,  this woman standing before him was no dockside whore. His touches were gentle, he took his time kissing her before slowly untying the belt holding her robe closed.  
  
He took a small step backward and eased the robe from her shoulders,  letting it puddle on the bedchamber floor. Hawke stood in front of him, clad only in her smallclothes and breast band. "You are very beautiful, Champion."  
  
"Hawke, call me Hawke." She stuttered out, her cheeks suffused with pink as he continued to stare at her.

"Hawke." His accented voice whispered her name against her ear as he placed a small kiss on it. He slowly backed her against the bed where she sat down rather quickly, to her embarrassment. He gave a small chuckle and began to remove his armor, baring his well-toned body to her. He was beautiful as well,  though there were small scars here and there, which in his line of work and the many battles he had been in was to be expected.  
  
He left his smallclothes on, though it left little to the imagination from the sheer size of the bulge that was there, she swallowed hard and scooted backward until she felt the pillows at her back. Zevran put one knee on the bed and cocked one eyebrow, giving her a wicked grin, before crawling up the bed after her.  
  
His palm ran up her leg, as he placed kisses along her calf, whispering how lovely she was,  how her skin was so soft. Her body started to heat up and she felt herself growing damp, small tingling pulses began at her center and she let out a small groan as he licked her thigh before nibbling it. Pushing her legs wider as he moved up higher on her body. "Relax,  my dear, Hawke." Zevran murmured as his lips grazed against her,  moving ever higher up her leg until he reached the apex of her thighs and felt the heat coming from her.  
   
His eyes flicked up to hers, seeing her head thrown back and her eyes shut as she gasped when his mouth found her cloth covered center. Her body twitching as another moan escaped her as his tongue traveled along her dewy seam. His fingers reached for the small knot that held her smallclothes on and with a deft flick of his talented fingers opened it. Seconds later he had slid them down and tossed them aside, quickly followed by his own. His mouth returned to her, his tongue lapping along her moist center and swirling around the tiny bundle of nerves at the top,  before delving deep inside her.  
  
Her hips flexed upward,  grinding her into his mouth, her gasps and moans were loud in the bedchamber. He felt her hand reach down and stroke his head, lightly holding him to her as she cried out. Her body had been so tightly wound, so needy for release it had taken mere minutes for her to find it. She flopped back on the bed, apologizing to him for not having control. He chuckled, "Hawke, that is nothing to apologize for. The night is early yet and I will be making love to you until the sky outside your chamber lights with the pinkish hues of dawn. We will both find release together many times this night. This is to be savored, to be enjoyed to the fullest." He said against her lips before she felt the head of his large, thick cock stretching her as he pushed inside.  
  
His eyes closed for the briefest of seconds as her moist heat surrounded him and he let out a groan. "You are so tight, so smooth and perfect." Her back arched and her hands found purchase on his shoulders as she felt him thrust in further, inch by slow inch until he had firmly seated himself inside her. He looked down at her, her lips moist and open as she gasped. His lips met hers and he ran his hand along the outside of her thigh, wrapping her long legs around him before carefully withdrawing and easing back in. His thrusts long and languid, each one going deep and causing her to shudder against him.  
  
Whispering words in her ear of how good she felt,  how pleased he was with her as he felt her tightening around him. How he wanted to feel her come undone. Her orgasm pulling him deep as he fought to hold onto control. His gasp, as she bit into his shoulder when her body started to shake harder, as he sped up his body's movement, pushing in deep and letting his own orgasm rush over him, spilling his hot seed in her.  
  
He waited until her body calmed before pulling out and moving to the side, his hands carefully brushing aside her sweat dampened hair. Placing a light kiss on her temple he tucked her close to him, whispering to her to find some rest. They had many hours ahead of them yet.

Zevran kept his word, waking her several more times during that night. Running his hands over her and changing positions each time,  bringing her to orgasm over and over, until she wasn't sure her legs would hold her up without shaking the next day.  
  
Just before dawn, he crept from her bed,  looking down on her. She had been everything he thought she would be, once she let herself go. That white haired elf was an utter fool to have had her in the palm of his hand and let her go for someone like Isabela. He quickly dressed and pulled out the tiny carved figurine he had found among the treasures that she had left behind after she left the cave. Leaving it and a small note behind, he kissed her cheek,  hearing her give a sigh and a small smile grace her lips,  before slipping through the balcony window and blending into the early morning fog.  
  
It was just before noon when Orana hesitantly entered the Mistress's chamber. She had become worried when her Mistress hadn't come down for her breakfast right after dawn as was her usual routine. The first thing she noticed was the lingering odor of sweat and spent sex. Something she knew well from her days as a slave in Tevinter. Her large eyes flicked toward the Mistress who was still abed,  to the robe and smallclothes tossed haphazardly at the foot of the large bed. Her eyes lighting on the small wooden carving on the table.  
  
"Mistress? Mistress. It is nigh on the noon hour, are you feeling well? Do you want me to fetch the healer?" She asked softly as she approached the bed. Hawke stirred and muttered something that the elf girl didn't understand. "Did you want me to bring you up a mid-day meal tray, Mistress? You must be hungry after missing breakfast."  
  
Hawke's mind was still fuzzy from sleep and she muttered it was too early. Then it registered what Orana had said. "Noon? Did you say it was noon already?"  
  
"Yes, Mistress. You slept through breakfast. Do you want me to bring up a tray and water so you can bathe?" The young elf asked as she started to wring her hands,  did she do something wrong by not waking her Mistress earlier?  
  
Hawke lifted her head and rolled over to face Orana with a groan, the ache and soreness between her legs was a testament to the fact that she had spent hours having sex the night before with an elf she didn't know. One that knew how to manipulate and play her body to bring her pleasure beyond what she had ever known before. No regrets, no feelings of sadness came. She stretched and grinned at the girl. "That would be wonderful, Orana. A tray first if you please."  
  
She waited until the young girl had hurried from the room before groaning and standing up, grabbing her robe from where it had fallen the night before. That was when she noticed the items left on the small table beside the empty wine bottle.  
  
_"A small gift for a delightful, beautiful woman. May your days be filled with wonders and your nights be filled with delicious dreams. Mayhap of a ridiculously handsome elf with hair of gold and eyes the color of the purest Orlesian honey._  
  
_It has been a pleasure, Champion._  
  
_Fare thee well, Zev."_  
  
She grinned as she carried the small carving over and placed it on the mantle of the fireplace. She turned when she heard Orana enter with a tray, all of a sudden feeling ravenously hungry.


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

 

 

It was a few hours after midday when she sent around notes to Aveline, Sebastian and Anders to meet her for a small jaunt to take care of a problem with some would be assassins. When they reached the Antivan Crows camp, Hawke lit into them. Letting them know she knew about the lies and their attempt to trick her into killing one of their ex-members. Nuncio let out a sigh and shook his head, "Zevran has been talking again."  
  
Zevran appeared beside of Hawke; a startled expression crossed her face as she hadn't expected him to be here but long gone by now. "Zev? What are you still doing here?"  
  
"I could not let you face these assassins without me. I could not take the chance of such beauty being marred by a Crow dagger." He shook his head, "No,  absolutely not, my dear Champion." She heard a snort behind her as Anders heard the comments. They listened to Nuncio spout something about how no one escapes a contract or leaves the Crows. Zevran sneered at him, telling him he was living proof it was a lie.  
  
Zevran twisted around and threw a knife, everyone watched as the hapless assassin who thought he could sneak up behind them collapsed with it sticking from one of his eye sockets. After that, a fight erupted with everyone dodging the Crows as they used their tricks of disappearing into small puffs of smoke to appear behind a companion and try to land a blow. The fight was a quick one, Aveline cutting her way to through the guards while Hawke took on the lesser experienced members. Anders' magic flowed across the battlefield, a fireball here or a heal spell there. Sebastian's arrows raining down upon the Crows the entire time. Zevran held Nuncio's attention long enough for the others to finish off the rabble and join him.  
  
When Nuncio lay dead at their feet, Zevran told Hawke he would wait for her until she looted the camp. His eyes followed her as she bent to pick through the assassins pockets or bust the lock from a chest. When she was done she approached him. A sway in her hips that had Aveline's eyebrows raising up to almost disappear under the hair band she wore.  
  
"My thanks, Champion. With Nuncio gone it will buy me enough time to return to Antiva. I have a war to wage there. I don't have much in the way of coin to pay you for the help you have given me,  but I do have this." He handed her a weapon, unlike her usual daggers. A long, dual-bladed weapon with a handle in the middle, incredibly sharp and light. "Now, I must take my leave, Hawke. It has been a delightful pleasure to see you again. That is unless ..." his eyes flicked over her companions, seeing a look of disgust on one male's face, a frown on the other. The ginger-haired woman was looking at him as if she would rather just kill him than let him finish his sentence.  
  
She gave him a smirking grin and a wink. "You know where to find me Zev if you're ever in Kirkwall again."

He gave her a hearty laugh and reached for her hand, stripping the clawed glove from it and placing a kiss on her knuckles. "That would be a pleasure I would certainly look forward to repeating in the future, my dear Hawke. Fare thee well." He turned and left.

She still had that wicked grin on her face when she turned to face her companions. "Let's get back to Kirkwall. Maker only knows what trouble is brewing there."  
  
She received a scribbled letter later that afternoon from Fenris asking her to come to his mansion. She closed her eyes wondering if she would be able to handle it. It would be the first time in over three years that she would step foot in his rightfully stolen mansion.  
  
When she arrived, Aveline was there, and Fenris was agitated. "I need to know for sure, Aveline. I need to know if there are any traps."  
  
"I did what you wanted,  you pain in the ass. An elf girl matching your description arrived this morning on the ship you specified." Aveline stood up as Fenris raged and slammed his palms down on the table,  cursing heavily in his native Tevinter language. Aveline just shook her head, "talk to him, Hawke. I've had enough for one day."  
  
Hawke waited until Fenris looked up at her. He took a deep breath and let it out, "I didn't want to tell you until I was sure,  but I found my sister. Just as Hadriana said. I have been paying contacts to try and get a letter to her. Finally, I received one back. She agreed to come here to Kirkwall. But ..."  
  
Hawke leaned on the table,  "but you are worried it's a trap."

He glanced up at her and nodded. "Please, Hawke. Come with me to the Hanged Man. I ... don't have anyone else to ask. I know things are ... please,  it's all I ask."  He stood up looking at her with those big green eyes of his. Her heart skipped a beat but she got it back under control.

"Alright, let me send for Anders if it is a trap we will be needing healing. Varric can meet up with us outside of the tavern." He had frowned slightly when he heard she wanted to bring Anders, but she had a point, Denarius was dangerous and they may need the abominations healing.  
  
He went with her to her mansion and Bohdan quickly left to deliver the missives and bring back their answers. Less than an hour later they were headed to the Hanged Man where the others would meet up with them.  
  
When they entered,  the first thing they noticed was the lack of people sitting at the tables,  even Varric frowned,  he hadn't noticed the mass exodus that must have happened while he was waiting outside for the others to come. There was a lone female elf sitting at one of the tables near the steps and they approached her.  
  
"Varania? So it's true then? I remember you." Fenris's voice had taken on a softer tone. Hawke was looking around,  the hairs on the back of her neck raising.

She wasn't paying much attention to what Fenris and his sister were saying to each other,  but she got the feeling something was terribly wrong. "Fenris. We need to get out of here. Now. It's a ..." She didn't get much more out as a voice from the top of the stairs interrupted her. A scruffy looking older male started down the stairs telling Fenris not to blame his sister,  she was just being a good Imperial, his voice sent an oily feeling along Hawke's spine.  
  
"Denarius." Fenris's growl and the way Varania backed herself up until she reached the wall behind the older mage told her that the female elf was part of this mess,  a willing participant.  
  
"The word is Master. And this must be the Champion of Kirkwall; I have heard so much about since I arrived. Exquisite creature. But it is now time to return to your rightful master."  
  
"Fenris is a free man,  he has no master." Hawke stepped up beside of Fenris, his gaze flicking to her and a slight smile came to his face. Until Denarius made a remark about her being jealous. How his little wolf was talented. He made it sound sleazy. The things that were done to him were not of his choosing. Only the one night with Hawke was something that he chose to do for himself, and he ran. He had known the moment he walked out he had made a mistake,  compounding it when he got drunk and let Isabela proposition him. He shouldn't have listened, shouldn't have given in. It hadn't been the same. Nothing had been. His body found release but it was hollow.  
  
"Shut up, Denarius," Fenris growled as he started to glow blue from the lyrium markings embedded in his skin.  
  
The magister stayed at the top of the stairs,  protected behind several slavers as he sent others to try and recapture Fenris and kill the others. But he had underestimated the group. They fought their way through waves of slavers, shades,  corpses and rage demons. Finally getting their chance at the blood mage. They fought through the pain the magister unleashed when he cast his blood magic spells. The way their blood spurted from their bodies as if cut by multitudes of invisible knives to fuel his power.  
  
Finally, Fenris had him in his grasp lifting him from the floor and holding him aloft. "You are my master no longer." He growled out,  his eyes narrowed as he used his clawed gauntlets to slash into Denarius' neck,  killing him before dropping him to the floor and turning on his sister who was cowering in the corner.  
  
He stalked to her,  the companions following close behind him. The girl looked up at Fenris a look of fear in her eyes. "I had no choice, Leto. He was going to make me his apprentice. I would have been a magister." She only sounded regretful that it hadn't come to pass, not that she had betrayed him. Hawke sneered at her.  
  
"Don't call me that! You betrayed your brother just to become a Magister?" Fenris's voice dropped several octaves,  his anger coming through loud and clear.  
  
"Your sister is a mage? You're a hypocrite. All this time you said you hate mages,  yet your sister is one. All you are is jealous." Anders said from behind him, the sneer in his voice carried well.  
  
"Anders. He didn't even know he had a sister until a short time ago. I doubt he remembered she was even a mage until this moment. You know he had lost his memories." Hawke snapped at the mage that was standing behind them.  
  
Varania stood up looking at Fenris. "You have no idea what Mother and I had to go through. This was my only chance." She pleaded with him as if her betrayal could be justified.

"Now you have no chance at all." Fenris approached Varania,  backing her into the corner again.

The girl's eyes shifted to Hawke, "Please, stop him."  
  
Hawke gritted her teeth and fisted her hands. "Fenris, stop. You don't want to kill your own sister."

He growled before looking over his shoulder at her, "Like hell I don't. She betrayed me,  and now you expect me to let her live?"  
  
Hawke walked up next to him, "Fenris, I know what it is like to have to kill your own sister. You saw what I had to do when Bethany fell to the taint in the Deep Roads. I don't want you to have to carry that same burden." Fenris' lips slowly released their curled snarl.

"El... Fenris. Listen to Hawke and to me. Killing her won't make it better. We know what we are talking about,  what it will do to you."  
  
Fenris dropped his head, "Go. Get out of here."

The girl didn't wait but started to run for the door, "one last thing, Leto. You wanted those markings,  you competed for them. When you won, the boon you asked for was freedom for Mother and me. I think you got the better end of the bargain." She turned and fled through the Hanged Man's door.  
  
Fenris stood still not looking at any of the companions. "It is over. I am now all alone."

Hawke took a few steps toward him wanting to comfort him,  but it was no longer her place to do so. "You are not alone, Fenris. You have friends here."  
  
"Friends? Do you mean you?" He turned to Hawke a grimace on his face that eased when he had realized what he had said.

"Yes, me and Varric. Aveline and Donnic." She looked into his eyes,  a hint of sadness in hers. "And you have Isabela, as well."  
  
"Well,  don't be counting me,  because I'm not his friend," Anders sneered then walked away.  
  
For a moment it looked like Fenris was going to say something to her but instead looked away. "Come on. I need to get out of here." Varric grabbed what Denarius had been carrying as they headed for the door.

 

* * *

 

  
  
Over the next few months, she began to return to her old self, her heart was still broken and she doubted it would ever fully heal, but it didn't pain her as badly. When First Enchanter Orsino sent a message around asking her to come to the Circle, he had something of great importance to discuss with her, she let out a grunt. First Knight-Commander Meredith and now the First Enchanter. If those two didn't calm down it was going to bring this city to its knees. She did understand both of their concerns, Meredith does go too far in the way she and her templars handle the mages. She has broken many of the Chantry laws she supposedly upheld and had yet to allow the nobility to choose a rightful replacement to the long-dead Viscount.  Orsino, on the other hand, needed to be firmer with his mages, Kirkwall has had more blood mages in the past 8 years than most Cities have in decades.  
  
She dressed in her armor and sent out messages to Varric, Aveline, and Fenris. They were waiting for her at the Gallows dock. She explained to them what they were heading out to do. Varric commented on how much better she had been looking and could see that sauciness starting to return, she gave him a wink and he laughed. "Oh, Hawke you have got to tell me that story."

She shook her head, "No, Varric, I don't have to. Let's just say it was a rather long, exhausting night and very well spent."  
  
She didn't see the way Fenris stared at her as he rubbed the red ribbon he still wore. Aveline did however and frowned at him. When the tiny boat docked they all hopped off and headed up the steps to the Gallows. Hawke always hated those Tevinter statues of oppressed slaves that was throughout the area. They were disgusting and should have been removed after Kirkwall gained its freedom away from the Imperium. She rummaged around in several of the stalls, noticed how many more tranquil that were now wandering the area,  including some that up until a few months ago hadn't been branded. It brought that frown back to mar her face again.  
  
When they finally reached the First Enchanter's office he told them about several of his mages disappearing for days on end, how he didn't want to jump to conclusions like Meredith does, but he couldn't leave the Gallows for fear that Meredith would see it as proof of his involvement in whatever they were doing. He gave them the information that he had, a meeting somewhere in Hightown at night.  
  
After they left they ran a few more errands, several jobs could be done quickly before night fell and they would go hunting for these mages. She returned to her mansion and noticed Bohdan and Sandal packing up their belongings. They would be headed to Orlais soon. She spoke with them and they assured her that if Orana wanted to come with them she would be most welcome and treated well,  she would not be a slave. Hawke slipped him a heavy coin purse then went to speak with Orana. She requested her to go with Bohdan and Sandal when they left, as Sandal would need someone to care for him when Bohdan couldn't any longer. Orana reluctantly agreed to do so. She went to gather her own belongings and added them to the container that Bohdan had brought for her.  
  
That night they wandered around Hightown, searching for this mage meeting and finally found them in front of the de Launcet mansion,  a large group of mages and Templars,  which surprised them all. One of the mages spotted Hawke. "It's the Champion. We know you have come to spy for Orsino." Then they started to attack Hawke and her party without waiting for them to voice any questions. Fenris headed straight for the closest mage,  swinging his giant two-handed sword and nearly cutting him in half. Varric sent out arrows at any templar or mage that got close to him. Hawke and Aveline headed straight for the closest templar who seemed to be the highest in rank. Once the battle was over and wounds were healed they checked the bodies. On the Templar, there was a torn piece of paper with a scribbled note. Another meeting for the next afternoon, a warehouse down on the docks.  
  
"Guess we will be heading down to the docks to finish cleaning this mess up. What in the hell was going on here? Mages and Templars standing around talking, plotting together outside of the Gallows?" Hawke talked to them as they walked out of the small alcove where the meeting had taken place. They were discussing what the possibilities were.  
  
"I don't like this Hawke. Mages are dangerous and now templars are letting them run amok away from the Gallows. This place is ripe with weak mages that turn to using blood magic at every turn. None of them can be trusted." Fenris was walking beside her through the older section of Hightown where his run-down mansion was.  Stopping outside of his house he turned to her. "I will meet you at the Hanged Man after the noon hour if you are going after these mages."  
  
Hawke just nodded,  knowing it was futile to once again say that not all mages were weak,  not all of them immediately turned to blood magic. Her father and sister came to mind. They would have died rather than use blood magic and fight any mage that did turn to demons. The others said their goodbyes outside of Hawke's mansion.


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

 

 

Hawke was in her bedchamber asleep when she was startled awake by the touch of a hand on her mouth. She struggled at first until she heard a now familiar chuckle. "Ahh, my dear Champion. Had I been here to kill you,  you would have been dead already. As it is, I am not. But I do recall a standing invitation made by you; that should I happen to be in Kirkwall that I could stop by. And here I am."  
  
Hawke blinked up at the golden-haired elf laying on her bed and relaxed. The second he felt her going compliant he removed his hand. "Zevran? I thought you were heading back to Antiva?"  
  
The elf shrugged. "I will eventually,  I have a few days yet before I need to leave. Removing Nuncio gave me time before more Crows come after me. The ones scattered about this area ...  well, are no longer a threat." He was stroking her hair. "I thought perhaps we could get to know each other even better? What say you? Hmm?" His eyes glittered down at her,  the banked fire giving off enough light to make them sparkle like gems.  
  
Hawke gave him a half smile, reaching up to run a finger along the small necklace he wore. He had been so sure of his welcome and so damn quiet that he was already down to his small clothes. She trailed her finger across his collarbone and his shoulder, then ran her palm along his smooth tanned skin,  tracing the various tattoo patterns on his body. Giving a gentle tug as her fingers threaded through his hair, his head lowered, and his warm, soft lips met hers.  


* * *

  
  
Fenris was pacing around his dilapidated mansion. He had found a few more bottles of wine stashed in a dusty crate in the corner of the wine cellar. Two of those bottles now lay empty on the table amid the piles of dirty dishware and cast off items. How could he have been so stupid? All these years, wasted. He waited too long to apologize. He waited too long to go to her and tell her he was sorry for what he had done with Isabela, that it hadn't meant anything and he was drunk.  
  
But why did he still keep accepting her advances when she came around, instead of telling her to stay away? He knew she only came to him when she was out of funds and couldn't afford the whores at the Blooming Rose.  So what had that made him?  
  
There was no way Hawke would take him back, not even if he told her how he truly felt about her. How he had always regretting walking out that door before dawn. His mind flashed to earlier when he heard the conversation between Varric and her on the boat. She had been with another. Someone who had brought back her smile after so many years. He grimaced and threw one of the empty bottles shattering it. There was another in this town that had felt the soft silkiness of her skin, tasted the light salty tang of the beads of sweat along her neck when they were moving deep inside of her. Heard her sighs and felt the way she would become so tight when she reached her climax.  
  
His armor was becoming rather uncomfortable as his memories assailed him. He had to go and see Hawke,  to try and ask for her forgiveness. He turned and gathered up his sword before heading to the door, not caring that it was in the middle of the night. The servants of Hawke's household knew him and would let him in no matter the time.  
  
He quickly made his way through the upper section of High Town and down the steps near the Chantry. He noticed that the streets had much less unsavory activity now that Aveline had been cracking down and putting out more patrols. Nevertheless, he kept his guard up, by now only the really stupid brigands or ones new to the city would even attempt to attack him, or one of the Champion's other companions. He quickened his pace as he came around the corner, Hawke's estate was at the far end of the square. He was almost running when he made it there. He took a few minutes to calm himself and to slow his breathing before knocking. He heard Hawke's mabari hound give a bark before quieting down; he must have caught Fenris's scent.  
  
A sleepy Bodhan opened the door, wearing a long nightshirt and cap. "Messere Fenris? What can I do for you at this late an hour?"  
  
Fenris slipped inside the outer hall, "I need to talk with Hawke."

Bodhan yawned and shut the door. "Messere,  the Mistress is in bed and has been for several hours now. I will be most happy to deliver any message to her when she awakes in the morning unless this is an emergency of some sort."  
  
Fenris paced, "it isn't an emergency. I don't need you to deliver a message. I know where her room is." Then took off before the dwarf could say anything else. Passing by the hound who gave out a huff as he rolled to his back in front of the fireplace and settled back down into sleep. Fenris hurried up the long flight of stairs to the top of the landing, and he barely gave a glance to the room that was Hawke's mothers. The last he could recall she still hadn't been able to bring herself to enter that room after the death of her mother.  
  
He went down the short hall to where the door to Hawke's bedroom was and paused. _Was that a cry of pain from inside?_ He heard a muffled scream and a grunt. _Someone was attacking Hawke!_ Fenris let out a growl and his lyrium brands glowed bluish white. He reached for his sword and drew his foot back, swiftly kicking the door in.  
  
He barely deflected the dagger that was launched at him from the darkened area of the bed. "My dear, Champion, it looks like ... we have company." A male's heavily accented voice came from the shadows of the bed, his breathing seemed ragged.

"What the hell do you think you are doing, Fenris? Get the hell out of my bedroom." Hawke's voice was strained and she let out a groan. Fenris' brows drew down and he took several steps into the room,  peering closer into the shadows. He let out a startled gasp when his eyes adjusted and saw Hawke's bare body. She was on her knees facing him with a male behind her, one of his hands on her breast,  kneading it and the other still stroking that little nub of pleasure at the apex of her thighs. The male was still thrusting into her body while staring out at him, the elongated ears signified the male was an elf.  
  
Hawke let out another moan, "Zev, stop... we have to stop... we can't do this in front of him." Hawke was trying to cover herself, to hide her body from Fenris as he seemed to be frozen in shock in the middle of the room.

"He can join us if he likes, I do not mind. He is quite handsome." He gave a hard thrust upward and she cried out. "Or he can just watch as I bring you pleasure." He licked along her neck, his thrusts speeding up as did her pants and groans. "Come now, my friend. Make up...",  he let out a grunt as Hawke clawed at his thighs, "your mind. She is close... do you stay? Or do you go and wait for scraps from Isabela?" Hawke's head tipped back against the elf's shoulder and she let out a scream as her body convulsed around him.  
  
Her scream of release broke whatever was holding Fenris' feet in place and he swiftly turned and stalked out of the room. The elf's loud groan followed him down the hallway to the stairs. He heard an, "Oh dear,  oh dear",  from Bohdan as he sped past him and out the front door. His thoughts were jumbled,  the image of Hawke being taken by another,  and not just any other elf,  but that damned Crow assassin they had hunted and let go. The one Isabela had stood there and demanded to take her somewhere and have sex with her. That male had looked at her and just cocked his head and asked about the Champion who had just pushed past him. It had made Fenris' teeth grind and he had stood there ignoring both of them before hearing enough of Isabela's demands to the other elf and stormed out. She meant nothing to him,  never had and never would. But the others interest in Hawke...  
  
To know that Hawke ... that Hawke had taken the elf to her bed and seemed to get so much pleasure from him. She never screamed that way when he was with her that night, her soft sighs and kisses were what he had received. Those hands were gentle on his body,  not clawing at him as hers had been with the other one. His mind was so focused on what he had seen earlier that he never felt the tingle of magic about him which set his brands alight,  not until just a second before blackness claimed him.


	4. Chapter 4

* * *

 

 Hawke laid there panting with Zev hovering over her. "Are you alright, my dear Hawke?"  
  
Her eyes opened and she glared at him, "I can't believe you did that to me with Fenris standing right there. How could you do that?"  
  
"Because my dear lady, he needed to realize just what he had lost. He needed to understand that it could have been him thrusting deep inside of that hot body of yours,  hearing his name fall from those delectable lips as you reached the peak of pleasure. He gave up someone that had felt more for him than just the occasional bout of lust. For someone who would never be faithful, who would move on to the next as soon as someone caught her eye. Or when she got tired of him. I have heard the stories in the tavern,  dear lady. When they thought only your companions were there. The speculation and the anger at what he had done, the worry about how you had reacted and how long it had taken you to once again begin to enjoy life. Such as it is in this town." He nestled down on the bed beside her. "It is a shame you are so intent on remaining here. I think you would love the warmth of Antiva. You wouldn't have everyone from the beggars in the slums to the rulers of the city bothering you to fix their problems. You can have fun there,  maybe help me kill a few more Crows."  
  
"Are you asking me to go with you to Antiva?" Hawke rolled to face him.

Zevran let out a chuckle, "I am but giving you an option, nothing more. Think about it. You would be under no obligation,  you could stay or go. I,  however,  leave in a few days." He rolled onto his back and let out a sigh as he stretched. She moved closer and snuggled against him,  stroking his chest and neck. Her fingers wandered up the side of his face,  skimming along his braid until she reached his long pointy ear. He let out a slight moan as she carefully brushed her finger along the outside of it, then wiggled the small gemmed earring that was there.  
  
No demands on her ... no one constantly harping on her to fix their problems ...  
  
"Will you stop by later tonight? I have business to take care of in the afternoon." She let out a yawn and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder.

"Hmm. I can do that. Sleep now, Champion. You are safe with me."  
  
Hawke woke several hours later to the feel of hands and a mouth moving on her body, her eyes opened to see the golden head of her elven lover moving down her body causing her to moan as his mouth found her moist center. Her body arching off the bed as his talented tongue worked her before slowly licking and kissing his way up her body, sliding deep inside her as she wrapped her long legs around his hips. Their combined moans and the cries and sighs of their completion filled the chamber.  After they recovered their breaths, she rang for a basin of wash water and a light meal for two.  Shortly after he slipped out of the back door, into the shaded courtyard and the alley beyond. Hawke dressed and headed to the Hanged Man to meet up with the group she was taking to the warehouse.  
  
They waited almost an hour for Fenris to show up, it was quite unlike him to be late, especially if it could involve killing mages. She let out a sigh and sent Anders inside to get Varric,  it wasn't her ideal party for this situation but Aveline was on duty and had already told her that she couldn't come.  
  
When the dwarf came out they hurried toward the warehouse on the docks that the note said the meeting was going to be. They were already running late and had to hurry,  as it was they weren't going to be able to look for advantageous spots to ambush the Templars and mages. They had gone through the lower entrance hoping to avoid detection for a few moments at least when she heard several people talking.  
  
The young blonde templar was disagreeing over something that the mages had done when Hawke made her presence known. He started to back away from the mage, saying something like "no, not her." Then the fight started.  


* * *

  
  
"Keran? What the hell are you doing here? What is going on?" Hawke almost yelled at the templar who came out of hiding once the last of the others were down.  
  
"I tried to stop them,  I told them it was wrong. After what happened to me." Keran told her haltingly. "If I had known it was one of yours I would have told you. I swear."  
  
"One of my what?" Hawke started to get a really bad feeling all of a sudden.  
  
"One of your companions. The white-haired elf. I told them, I swear. I told them just to talk to you,  that you weren't unreasonable,  that you would listen. I told them I wanted nothing to do with kidnapping someone."

He started to back away from her when he saw the look that came into her eyes when she finally heard what the others had done. "You took Fenris? Run ... now... before I change my mind and kill you on the spot for daring to lay a hand on him."  
  
"We have a place, it's on the Wounded Coast. They took your elf there." He turned and ran.  


* * *

  
  
The others were trying to keep up with Hawke as she ran out of the gates heading toward the Coast,  she hadn't stopped yet and they were starting to lag behind. Varric had given up even before they had gotten to the road out of docks and instead ran to the Chantry. As quickly as he could he told Sebastian what happened. The man took off running without waiting for him to even finish. After he caught his breath he went to tell Aveline and Isabela what was going on,  so they could be ready for whatever shit storm Hawke caused if that elf had been hurt.  
  
A mage stepped into a clearing and raised his staff, Hawke didn't even slow down. She pulled her daggers,  the one that Zevran had given her and the one that she had found down in Bonney Lem's shop in the Undercity that had been a close match to it. The blades cut deep sending the mage to whatever hell awaited him as she ran past.  
  
"Hawke,  please... slow down," Merrill yelled out as she tripped, almost falling over the dead body. Hawke ran a few more feet then slowed down, finally stopping and bending over, catching a bit of breath. The others came as quickly as they could. Both of them were breathing raggedly. She jerked upright when she noticed someone coming their way,  recognizing the strung-out ex-Templar, Samson.  
  
He told them what was going on.  That the mages were using blood magic and he was going to get the Templars. Meredith needed to go, but those mages were using methods he wanted nothing to do with.  
  
They ran the rest of the way in the direction that Samson had pointed to and came to a halt when they saw several familiar faces. Templar Thrask was standing there speaking rapidly to Grace,  a mage that she should have listened to Fenris and just killed instead of letting Thrask take her and several other escaped mages back to the Circle.  
  
Thrask started talking to Hawke,  but all she saw was the white-haired elf laying so helpless in the middle of their camp. Not moving, she couldn't tell if he was even still breathing. "You want my help ... this is how you ask for my help? By taking someone that I care for? By doing Maker knows what with him?"  
  
"We weren't going to hurt him. We'll let him go with you. Just give us your word you will stand against Meredith...",  Thrask was interrupted by Grace who yelled out, "No!"  
  
"We kill the hostage then we kill the Champion." She started moving toward Fenris,  and Hawke pulled out her daggers. Thrask took a step nearer to Grace telling her to calm down,  that no one was going to be killed. Within seconds Grace had him suspended and used blood magic to kill him and start to fuel the demon's power that was within her.  
  
Hawke ran at the woman while the others fended off attacks on them by templar and mage alike. Sebastian had finally caught up to them,  his arrows falling on the mages from the higher position. By the time the battle was over the area was awash in red, as were they.  They watched for any other threats as Hawke dropped to her knees in front of Fenris and gathered him in her arms.  
  
"Anders,  why isn't he waking up?" Hawke's quiet voice was barely louder than their harsh breathing but the mage had heard and moved toward her, his hand outstretched and glowing with a white gold light.

"He is under the power of blood magic. I can't do anything." Hawke looked up at him then at Merrill.  
  
"Please,  Merrill."  
  
The tiny elf blinked at Hawke,  she knew how much Hawke hated blood magic and her using it. But then this was Fenris,  and no matter how she felt about the magic,  her feelings for the elf were greater, even after all he had done to hurt her. She walked over to them and knelt down while drawing out a small but extremely sharp dagger. She gave a quick slash at her arm,  her blood dripping on Fenris and whispered several words. Quickly standing up and moving away from them as he started to move. Anders passed a quick hand over Merrill's arm sealing the wound.  
  
Hawke brushed Fenris' hair from his face, his eyes slowly opened,  blinked several times then focused his green gaze on hers. "Hawke? What happened? Where are we?" She stroked his hair and face a few more times before shifting and telling him everything that had happened. He slowly stood up and looked around at the devastation. There were still several templars and mages huddled in a small group watching everything that was happening. He started to say something to her when Knight Captain Cullen interrupted them with demands for an explanation.  
  
They were all exhausted by the time they made it back to Kirkwall. Merrill and Anders went to their respective parts of town and Sebastian walked with Fenris and Hawke to Hightown before he continued on up the steps to the Chantry. Hawke went with Fenris to make sure he made it home safely.  
  
They had just stepped through the door when Fenris turned to Hawke, "thank you,  Hawke. I... please, I need...",  he never had the chance to finish the sentence because there was a loud voice that started yelling from the top of the steps near where his bedroom was.

"Fenris! There you are! I've been waiting for you for hours. When Varric said Hawke went to bring you back from some kidnappers I didn't think it would take so long." Isabela, in her usual skimpy,  barely decent outfit, leaned out over the railing.  
  
Hawke took several steps back from him, "goodnight, Fenris." She turned and walked away,  not even slowing when he started to shout her name.  
  
Several hours after she had locked herself in her room, she felt a set of arms wrap around her and gather her close. Nothing was said as she turned in his arms and buried her head into Zevran's shoulder and he held her through the rest of the night.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone that reads or has read the story. Appreciate the comments and kudos :)

* * *

 

 When she woke early the next morning Zevran had already left,  leaving her another tiny carving that she placed on the mantle next to the first one. She dressed and lightly ran down the steps. Orana had set out her usual breakfast fare and she settled into her chair,  picking up the missives that had arrived the day before when she had been gone and started to read them. There were several requests that she still needed to do so she penned several letters and rang for Bohdan.  
  
She spent the rest of the day with some of her companions clearing up the odd requests that no one else seemed to be able to help with before heading to the Gallows. She stopped to speak with Cullen then headed up to speak with Orsino and let him know what had happened. She found him in his office, it looked like a storm had ripped through it and he seemed to be highly agitated. After she was done she left,  meeting up with the others and heading toward the Hanged Man for a drink.  


* * *

  
  
The next morning she received a hastily penned note,  
  
_Champion,_  
  
_You have proven yourself a friend to Kirkwall's mages and it seems I must call upon you once again. Meredith has gone too far, and I will not let her madness remain unchecked. I ask that you come to the Gallows at once. Perhaps together we can stop this before there is bloodshed._  
  
_First Enchanter Orsino_  
  
She frowned as she re-read the missive. Dropping it on the table, Hawke yelled for Bohdan and Orana. Both of them hurried into the library where she was currently writing letters.  
  
"Something is very wrong, I don't like the feeling I'm getting when I read that letter from the First Enchanter. Listen well both of you, gather your belongings, everything essential to you and leave now. Get out of Kirkwall and don't stop until you are a day out from here." They followed her up the stairs and she hurriedly packed a travel bag with essentials,  carefully wrapping the figurines and note inside of the bag along with a coin pouch that contained all the coins she had left in the house. "Take this, hide it outside of Kirkwall for me. Tell Peanut to guard it but stay hidden. He'll listen."  
  
"But Mistress,  what is happening?" Bohdan asked as he hurried down the stairs after her.

"I think this town is about to rip itself apart, Bohdan and I want you all out of here before it does." He looked up into her face,  seeing that she was indeed concerned and called for his son.  
  
Hawke flagged down one of the couriers that were constantly running through town delivering messages or items and paid them to deliver notes to each of her companions. Within the hour all of them had assembled at the mansion and she handed them the letter to read. Varric felt the same thing, he too could feel something bad stirring in the air.  
  
She told them to be prepared for anything. When they exited the mansion Aveline took off and ran to the Guard barracks to warn her husband while the others headed for alley towards Lowtown.  Soon they were passed by Bohdan, Orana, and Sandal riding in a small cart piled with boxes and crates from the mansion,  they slowed down for Aveline to hop off the back and rejoin the group before her mabari gave a loud bark and nipped at the horse's feet getting it to move faster.  


* * *

  
  
They arrived at the Gallows only to be told by one of the senior mages that Orsino had left,  he was going to the Chantry to speak with the Grand Cleric and that Meredith had gone after him,  he was worried there would be a confrontation and asked that they hurry.  
  
They heard the yelling even before making it to the Lowtown steps. Meredith was yelling about Orsino harboring blood mages,  Orsino yelling back that she sees blood mages everywhere and his people couldn't sneeze without being accused of being a blood mage. The argument turned to Meredith wanting to search the tower for those practicing blood magic,  Orsino insisting there were no blood mages.  
  
Hawke stepped forward telling to both stop with the yelling and asking if there was anyway a compromise could be made,  maybe she could go with them both into the tower and help them search. Orsino kept insisting he was going to go to the Grand Cleric and Meredith grabbed him to keep him from heading up the steps.  
  
All of a sudden Anders,  who had been lurking near the back of the party since they had left the Gallows,  stepped forward and slammed the end of his staff on the ground. "I will not let you continue to persecute all mages as if we were all criminals,  while the ones that are supposed to be helping us bow down to our jailers." He slammed the staff down again, and both Meredith and Orsino started to yell at him. Once more the staff came down and this time Anders lit with the blue glow that signified that the "Spirit" of Justice had taken him over. "The time has come to act,  there can be no half measures."  
  
Anders turned from them all,  giving a slight shake of his head as if he was fighting something. "Anders,  what have you done?" She took a step toward him then stop when she felt a slight rumbling under her feet.  
  
"There can be no turning back." He said,  his voice low as he turned toward where the Chantry tower could just be seen above the rooftops. The rumbling got louder and everyone started to have trouble staying on their feet when all of a sudden a bright red beam of light exploded from the Chantry into the sky above and a terrible roaring sound was heard as the building blew apart,  the resulting shock wave decimating the homes and other buildings nearby.  
  
For several moments everyone stared in shock at what was happening,  then Sebastian fell to his knees crying out for the Grand Cleric and asking how could the Maker let this happen.  
  
Anders looked toward Hawke, "there can be no peace."  
  
"The Grand Cleric killed by magic and the Chantry destroyed." Meredith's voice took on a different aspect,  one of rage yet also a touch of glee. Hawke looked at her not liking the feeling she was getting from the Knight Commander, something was terribly wrong here and it wasn't that Anders just did something horrible ... but something even more sinister was at work. "As Knight Commander,  I hereby invoke the Rite of Annulment, every Circle Mage is to be executed... immediately."  
  
"What... you can't do that! We didn't do this,  how can you kill us for something we didn't even do?" Orsino tried to reason with her,  but even Hawke could tell there wouldn't be anything that could change her mind. Meredith saw a way to destroy the mages and jumped at it. She didn't care if they were guilty of the crime or not.  
  
Anders turned to her. "It can't be stopped now,  Hawke. You have to choose."  
  
She took a step back, "do you have any idea what you have done here, Anders? Is that what you were really trying to get me to help you with earlier?"

He glanced down then back up at her, "Hawke, I'm sorry I lied to you. But you must understand, the Circle is an injustice. What they do there,  what they do to the mages trapped inside. The world needs to see."  
  
Sebastian lunged for Anders and would have attacked him if Fenris hadn't had a hold of his shiny white armor. "Elthena wasn't the Circle. She was a good woman whom you just murdered." Hawke glanced between them,  it was true that Elthena was a good woman,  but she was also too dependent on waiting for the Maker to solve every problem, instead of actually doing something about it. Maybe if she would have actually tried to settle things years ago none of this would have happened. But it was always an, "it's in the Maker's hands" answer to everything put forth for her to help with.  
  
The arguments continued until Meredith told her that even had she wanted to, that she couldn't stay her hand. The Grand Cleric was dead and the people would demand blood. "You are Kirkwall's Champion and I demand that you stand with me in this."  
  
Hawke held up her hands,  "I want nothing to do with this mess."

Both the Knight Commander and First Enchanted turned toward her. "You have no choice. It was your companion that did this."  
  
Hawke grimaced.  
  
"Why are we even debating this? The monster that did this is right here in front of us." Sebastian yelled out still trying to get to Anders. "I will kill him myself."  
  
Hawke looked at everyone there, Anders moved toward the steps and sat on a small box, his head bowed. She shook her own head,  they were both wrong ... yet they were also both right. What was she to do?  
  
"Champion,  please. You can't let her kill us for something we didn't do. The Circle Mages had no part in this." Orsino appealed to her,  and he was right. They didn't do any of this yet they were going to be killed just because they were different.  
  
"I... no, I won't let her kill you because of just being a mage," Hawke told him. "That isn't right."  
  
"Hawke, are you sure about this? These people killed the Grand Cleric." Aveline said to her.

Hawke whirled on around on her, "no, Aveline they did not. Anders did and he should be the one to pay for the crime,  they were innocent in this."

Aveline looked at her. "I... I don't agree, but I do understand what you mean."  
  
Fenris snarled, "mages caused this mess,  and now you want to help them?"

She looked into his green eyes, "they shouldn't be killed just because of the circumstances of their birth, Fenris. Because of the life they were born into." She watched the grimace slowly fade from his mouth as he caught her meaning.  
  
"Kill them all, then meet me at the Gallows, we will put a stop to all this blood magic once and for all." The Knight Commander's shrill voice yelled and the Templars charged for the closest mage or companion.  
  
When the battle was done, the area was littered with bodies, Orsino was looking around in dismay. "So many deaths. Champion, I must get to the Gallows, I have to warn the others. I will let you deal with your ... companion, as you see fit." She nodded at the older elf and he took off running followed by the remainder of the mages that had accompanied him. Hawke closed her eyes for a moment and looked over at Anders, who had once again sat on one of the crates. He was slightly rocking back and forth, his head still down and not looking at any of them.  
  
Why did it always come down to her having to do these things? Of her being tossed in the middle of a proverbially shit storm. She walked up behind him as the others attended to their wounds. Without him healing them they had to use their cache of potions and bandages.  
  
"Tell me why, Anders." Her voice was pitched low and was rough and gravely.

"Change has to start somewhere Hawke. Now everyone will have to take notice,  now everyone will have to choose. I will be remembered as a martyr,  the one to bring freedom to the mages."  
  
She glanced back at the others, reading their facial expressions when they heard his comments. Her eyes met Fenris's for the briefest of moments, trying to draw the strength from him to do what she knew had to be done. Anders, she thought had been her friend,  for so many years. How could he have thought this was right? Then she blinked. It hadn't been Anders at all ... but the demon inside him, the one that used to be the Spirit of Justice. How long had that demon been passing itself off as Anders... how long had Anders been gone from them?  
  
"Tell me this wasn't you. Tell me that it was the demon inside you that did this."

He rocked faster, "I don't know, Hawke. I can't remember. So many blank areas that I have no memories of. Release me. There is only one way to separate the demon from me. Help me." That one moment she knew it was truly Anders that was there and she did as he asked. Her small knife slid between his ribs,  quickly and smoothly. Giving as little pain as she could and the release his soul needed to finally be freed from other's grip.  
  
None of the others said anything as she stumbled backward.  The knife, coated in her friend's blood,  dropped from her hand to clatter to the cobblestones. "Come on,  we need to move,  we need to get to the Gallows. Maybe we can figure out a way to stop this yet."  
  
The fights in the streets were brutal, mages cornered by handfuls of Templars, giving into the demon's calls and changing instead of just using their inborn magic to fight. So many mages giving in to them. Hawke cut them down as her companions surrounded them fighting alongside her. A large group of mages holding off templars from reaching the dock area was almost overwhelmed until Hawke joined in the fray. These mages stayed strong, using only that magic they were taught with, not turning to demons. She nodded at them as they used their magic to heal before they once more set up barriers to hold off the Templars.  
  
They ran for the boat that was moored there, Isabela grabbing for the rudder's wheel and shouting orders to the others so she could swing the boat out and get them to the Gallows. Hawke stood there as they slowly made their way across the channel. She was staring up at the Gallows, seeing the lights of flame and frost,  the bluish purple flashes of lightning in the air around it. She turned looking at her companions. Varric was leaning back against the mast,  Merrill sitting on the deck near him with her head buried in her arms. Isabela still at the helm of the boat making adjustments to keep the wind in the sails and the boat moving forward. Aveline and Sebastian were leaning against the side also staring at the Gallows, Sebastian's voice sounding out in a low prayer.  
  
Her eyes found Fenris,  his own staring back into hers. Those green orbs, so easy to be lost in, watching her. He finally stood up and had taken several steps toward her when they felt the soft bump of the boat hitting the Gallows dock. Whatever he had planned to do was lost as the others scrambled and they jumped from the ship,  running toward the commotion in the Gallows plaza.  
  
Orsino was backing his mages up the stairs into the building while trying to keep the Templars from them. "Champion,  thank the Maker you made it."  
  
"Yes,  you are all here now and we can finish this." The shrill voice once more sounded out from behind her and Hawked turned to see the Knight Commander walking toward them followed by a host of Templars.

"Knight Commander, stop this. I will let you search the tower,  I will even go with you to do it. But revoke the Rite of Annulment, before this tears the town apart." Orsino once again tried to reason with the woman,  to no avail. She was determined to see the mages dead and she didn't care how many innocents died with them. Hawke noticed many of the Templars looking at each other. Cullen had glanced between Hawke and Meredith, his own indecision on his face.  
  
"I will give your people the night to prepare. In the morning we will end this." Meredith said as she walked away.  


* * *

  
What mages were left gathered in one of the great halls inside of the Gallows. So many of them praying for help, so many more just sitting there a look of resignation at their impending death on their faces. Hawke stopped to talk to several of them.

Orsino was standing at the back looking out at the rest of the hall. "Why don't they just drown us at birth? Why let us live and give us hope,  only to yank it away at their whim." Hawke had no answers for him and only gave him a light touch on his shoulder before turning away and heading to where her companions of almost a decade were standing.  
  
She stopped to talk quietly with them when she came up to Fenris they just stood staring at each other. "Hawke ... I'm sorry I never meant to hurt you. I don't know why I did what I did or continued to do it." His hands were curled into fists at his side.

"We all have made mistakes, and we all have to live with the decisions we made and the consequences that came from them. There are many things that I would change if there was any way to go back and redo them. Or in some cases not do them at all. The one night with you,  I wouldn't have changed. But I wish ... well, it doesn't matter now."  
  
He blinked at her, the sadness in his eyes almost broke her heart. "Thank you for standing by me in this Fenris." Her quiet words came to him as she turned, walking past Isabela with barely a glance at her.  


* * *

  
  
The fighting seemed to last forever, a slight break came when the last of the current wave of templars fell. Orsino stumbled backward. Several mages erected a barrier, holding off another wave of the Templars, hoping to give the other mages and companions at least a few minutes to catch their breaths.  
  
She watched as the older elf looked around at all of the dead bodies, his grip on the three-headed staff he held in his hand tightening. "This is hopeless." His voice was loud enough to gain the attention of several others around him. "When Quentin came to me with his research I told him it was too dangerous and I set it aside. But now ..."  
  
"Did you just say, Quentin? That was the bastard who murdered my mother and all those other women! You knew ... you knew who was killing them and why and you didn't do anything to stop him?!" By this point, she was screaming at the elf and her companions had moved closer, hearing the conversation.

"I'm sorry Champion, really I am." Hawke let out a scream and turned from him.  
  
She turned back when she heard him say, "Meredith wants blood magic? She will see what real blood magic is." They all watched in horror as what was once the First Enchanter become something horrific. The dead bodies of mage and Templar alike started to twitch and draw closer the elf, the mass kept growing, mutating into a monster from the deepest, darkest part of the fade.  
  
For those moments in time everyone,  templar,  mage and companion worked together to stop this abomination. Hawke took a running leap, her daggers going deep into the creature and she grabbed its head pulling for all she was worth,  trying to separate the core of what was once Orsino from the nightmarish body. The sucking noise that came from it, as it finally tore free, was loud and she threw the piece to the other side of the hall. She quickly leaped from the body that was now toppling over and landed near the head part. The thing had a set of arms that grew on the sides of it and was trying to scramble to re-attach itself to the body or to find another to steal. Hawke brought up her foot and stomped on it several times as hard as she could until it burst apart,  leaving nothing more than a smear of gore on the flooring.  
  
Hawke stood panting heavily when she heard Varric call out for her. "We need to get out of here, Hawke. Before more come." She took one last look at the thing at her feet then nodded.  


* * *

  
  
The group stumbled through the door that should lead them back toward the courtyard when Hawke came to a stop, the floor was littered with dead. Rage demons and abominations scattered all over and in the corner with a crate and his enchanting box stood Sandal. Hawke rushed over to him, "Sandal? What are you doing here, you should be with your Father and Orana. Please tell me they didn't get caught in this mess." She had dropped to one knee to bring her down to his eye level. He scratched and looked at her with those bright blue eyes. "Enchantment." She just kept looking at him and he didn't say anything more to her. She stood as one of the others rooted around in the box gathering up all the potions that she had stocked for emergencies along with handing the runes that she had in a bag to Sandal. He took their weapons or whatever piece of armor that had an open slot and affixed the rune in it before handing it back.  
  
"Thank you, Sandal,  but please, however, you can do it,  return to your father and Orana. All of you need to get as far from here as you can. Goodbye, Sandal." Hawke patted the young dwarf on his shoulder before turning from him.

"Goodbye," his voice floated to her as they ran for the door.  


* * *

  
  
When they finally made it to the square they came face to face with Meredith. She was acting more irrationally than ever and they found out why. She pulled the large 2 handed sword from her back, the blade glowing red in the light of the setting sun. "Oh Hawke,  we just found out who bought that cursed statue from my brother."  
  
"Yes,  the dwarf asked a tremendous price for that artifact. He didn't have a clue as to what he had." She grinned evilly at them,  her gauntlet covered hand caressed the razor edge of the sword.  
  
"Meredith, that statue caused everyone near it to become mad. It is pure lyrium and corrupt. It is affecting you as well." Hawke tried to reason with her. 

Cullen was looking between them and noticed just how truly unhinged the Knight Commander was,  and now he knew why. He moved from beside her to stand near Hawke. "This has gotten out of control, Knight Commander. Step down."  
  
"All of you are weak, all of you have fallen to the corruption of the mages. I don't need you, I don't need any of you." Meredith slashed downward with the sword,  the tip embedding itself easily into the stonework of the Gallows square. She started to chant the templar's pledge. Her eyes and body starting to glow with the same red light as the blade of her sword did.  
  
Fighting Meredith was unlike anything any of them had done before. She used the power of the sword to animate the statues in the square,  bringing them down into the fight.  
  
At one point she noticed Donnic, had joined the fray,  his back to his wife Aveline's,  as they fought off the statues.  
  
One of the bronze slave statues had just fallen and Meredith leaped down from where she was perched when a flash of gold caught her eye. She saw Zevran leap from the back of another statue as it fell, disappearing and reappearing behind another of the large statues,  hacking into it with a set of daggers. She wasn't sure when he had joined the fight but was glad he had.  
  
She saw Fenris activate his lyrium ghost form running past the statue and heading straight for Meredith as she landed in the middle of the square. Meredith's screams of frustration echoing even above the screeching from the statues. The blast of red energy from the sword staggered them all, she could do nothing but watch as Meredith closed in on a defenseless Fenris. She saw several arrows pierce the Knight Commander and a flash of white from one of the rooftops. Sebastian had been high enough that the blast had missed him.  
  
The fight continued until finally the red lyrium became uncontrollable and engulfed Meredith, her body or what was left of it,  hardening into a solid lyrium statue. The companions picked themselves up and cautiously approached it, Cullen kept an eye on them and the statue.

Then one of the Templars, that had been kept from the fight, knelt down to examine it, she shook her head staring at the now acting Knight Commander.  
  
Hawke drew her daggers and the others drew their weapons as they noticed the templars converging on them. She stared at Cullen for a moment before backing up slowly,  the others following her lead. Finally turning from them and walking down the Gallows steps heading for the boat to get back to the town proper.  


* * *

  
  
Within the hour the others had gathered in front of the Hanged Man all of them yelling about what happened and what the hell was they supposed to do now. Hawke was crouched on one of the rooftops, still in her armor but with a blood red travel cloak wrapped around her.  
  
Isabela told them she was taking the boat and hurried away,  leaving the others to stare at her. Fenris didn't even give a twitch in her direction. They all turned as they heard the shouts of the people that had survived. They finally started to come from wherever they had been hiding, all of them shouting for the Champion,  all of them yelling for her to do something. The remaining companions looked at each other and the multitudes of people that had come scurrying up to them like rats in a sewer.  
  
Hawke felt a presence next to her and caught a glimpse of a forest green cloak. She let out a breath and stood up. The wind snapping her cloak out from her. Her eyes meeting those of each of her companions. Ignoring the pleading, the cries, and shouts of the townspeople.

Zevran came to stand next to her,  his own cloak billowing out. "Do you stay or do you go?"  
  
She took one more look at the people she had come to love as family,  at the man she had once loved with everything she had in her. Blinking back the tears she turned,  following the green and gold cloaked elf.  
  
*~* Fin *~*


End file.
